Picnic Cooler with Internal Compartment for Cooling with Liquid Gas

ABSTRACT

A picnic cooler that include a food compartment, a liquid-gas tank with an adapter, an electric spigot and a cooling apparatus. The food compartment includes a release aperture with unidirectional valve that is designed to release outside the gas. The cooling apparatus includes a twisting piping system and an upper metallic plate that serves also as the inner bottom of the food compartment and as a cooling plate. A second end of the twisting piping system includes a secondary aperture that is positioned inside the food compartment and that causes additional pressure drop and by that assists to cool the interior of the food compartment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/525,068 filed on May 7, 2017, which is a National Phase of PCT Patent Application No. PCT/IL2015/051082 having International filing date of 10 Nov. 2015, which claims the benefit of priority of IL Patent Application No. 235670 filed on 12 Nov. 2014. The contents of the above applications are all incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein in their entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention refers to a picnic cooler with a cooling mechanism that is based on the introduction of liquid gas into an internal compartment, which is integrated into the sides of the cooler.

BACKGROUND ART

The use of picnic coolers is very prevalent. It is common practice to place ice packs (plastic containers containing a frozen substance) inside coolers so as cool the interior of the cooler as well as the food that is stored in it. The problem is that ice packs only stay frozen for a limited amount of time only, and when the cooler is used outdoors, the user often wishes to keep the cooler contents chilled for longer periods of time and additional ice packs are often unavailable. The present invention offers an effective and good solution to this problem.

US publication number 2008/0268107 (Publication 107) discloses a portable cooler device that includes a coolant reservoir for cooling the beverage compartment of the cooler by simply releasing the coolant into the beverage compartment. The cooler of Publication 107 may also include an opening through which the coolant is streamed into the beverage compartment when the coolant tank is positioned outside the cooler.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,820 (patent 820) discloses a shipping and storage container that includes a food compartment and a separate tank compartment for containing a gas tank. The gas cools the food compartment when it released from the tank into the food compartment. The tank compartment of the storage container of patent 820 includes also an inlet connector, which is numbered as 50 in patent 820, for enabling the user to stream gas into the food compartment from an exterior gas tank, for cases when the inner tank is empty. This inlet connecter is not designed for releasing outside gas from the food compartment, but the opposite, streaming gas from outside into the food compartment. The storage container of patent 820 includes also a three-way valve, which is numbered as 47 in patent 820, for enabling the user to control the streaming of the gas from the inner tank or from the exterior tank. This three-way valve is not unidirectional valve, but opposite to that.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,073 (patent 073) discloses a refrigeration system, which it seems a different sphere than the cooler picnic subject matter of the present invention, and it is not portable by hand as the picnic cooler The refrigerator of patent 073 can be derived by trucks and ships and it includes by its nature a cooling means.

However, the prior art does not include a food compartment that includes a release aperture with unidirectional valve that is designed to release the gas outside from the interior of the food compartment. The prior art does not include a cooling apparatus that comprises a twisting piping system and an upper metallic plate that serves also as the inner bottom of the food compartment and as a cooling plate. The prior art does not include a second end of that twisting piping system that is equipped with a secondary aperture that is positioned inside the food compartment itself.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The intention of the drawing attached to the application is not to limit the scope of the invention and its application. The drawing is intended only to illustrate the invention and it constitutes only one of its many possible implementations.

FIG. 1 depicts a cross section of the cooling apparatus (1) that includes the internal compartment (8), an adapter (9), passage (91) and a ventilation opening (92).

FIG. 2 presents a schematic cross-section of a picnic cooler (100) with a liquid-gas tank compartment (101), a liquid-gas tank (102), an electric spigot (103), a cooling apparatus (104) that includes twisted piping system (1040) and an upper metallic plate (1041), a secondary aperture (105) through which gas is introduced into the picnic cooler, a release aperture (106) with an unidirectional valve (1061) through which gas is released from the cooler, an electric power source (107), and a command and control system (108) that includes a controller (1081), a temperature sensor (1082), and a display panel (1083) that serves also as an operation panel.

FIG. 3 presents a schematic description of the cooling apparatus (104), which includes the twisting piping system (1040) and the upper metallic plate (1041).

THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a picnic cooler with an independent cooling mechanism that is based on the use of compressed liquid nitrogen at a very low temperature. The four sides and bottom of the cooler each include an internal compartment made of a metallic material, preferably stainless steel.

Each such internal compartment has two, or more, apertures: one aperture leads from the compartment to the interior of the cooler and/or to the exterior of the cooler, and the second aperture connects to an adapter that is designed to connect to a liquid nitrogen canister, which introduces into the compartment liquid nitrogen at a very low temperature. The encounter between the liquid nitrogen and the oxygen in the air within the internal compartment and with the sides of the compartment causes rapid cooling of the compartment, to a very low temperature, and as a result to the cooling of the inner sides of the picnic cooler, the interior of the cooler, and its contents. Using liquid nitrogen for said purpose is very effective; it may be stored at a relatively low pressure, and it is neither flammable toxic nor explosive.

In principle, the connector, which is designed to enable the introduction of liquid nitrogen from a separate canister into the internal compartment, may be positioned in the external side of the picnic cooler or within the cooler itself, as depicted for instance in the attached drawings. Internal compartments may be located within one, two, three, or all four sides of the cooler and also in the bottom of the cooler. The figures attached to the application depict a picnic cooler with internal compartments in all four sides as well as in the bottom of the cooler. In these drawings, the connector designed to connect to the liquid nitrogen canister is located within the cooler.

The picnic cooler (1), subject of the present invention, is shaped externally like any other standard picnic cooler, and has four sides: right side (2), left side (3), back side (4) and front side, not shown in the figures, a bottom (6), and a cover (7). The cooler (1) and its standard components may be made of materials customarily used to manufacture coolers. For instance, the inner and outer sides may be made of rigid plastic with an insulating material in between, such as foam rubber and so.

The internal compartments (8), located within the walls of the cooler (1), are made of a metallic material such as stainless steel, or any other known material that cools efficiently upon contact with liquid nitrogen. To achieve higher cooling efficiency, the size of internal compartments (8) should generally match those of respective sides and bottom of the cooler. In addition, the inner side (81) of the internal compartment (8) should be closely adjacent to the respective inner side of the cooler, means the inner side of the right side (21), the inner side of the left side (31) and the inner sides of the back and the frond sides, which are not shown in the figures, so as to enable efficient and rapid flow of cold from the internal compartment (8) to the interior of the picnic cooler (1), and the space between the outer side (82) of the internal compartment (8) and the respective outer side of the cooler, means the outer side of the right side (22), the outer side of the left side (32) and the outer sides of the back and the frond sides, which are not shown in the figures, should be filled with standard or other insulation material so as to prevent loss of cold to the exterior. Nitrogen should flow from the internal compartment (8) into the interior of the cooler (1). In addition, the internal compartment (8) may have metal protrusions, mesh partitions, and so on, to create a more efficient cooling effect, i.e. to increase contact surface between the metal and the liquid nitrogen introduced into the internal compartment.

Shape of internal compartment (8): The internal compartment (8) may be shaped like a narrow rectangular box and should be designed to be integrated into one side of the picnic cooler. Several such internal compartments may be integrated into one or more sides of the cooler, and even into its bottom. The cooler (1) may alternatively be constructed so that the internal compartment (8) has the general shape of a box with four sides and a bottom, and is built into the picnic cooler, as depicted for instance in the drawings attached to the application.

Introduction of liquid nitrogen into the internal compartment (8): The picnic cooler is equipped with an adapter (9) to which to a canister (99), containing liquid nitrogen at a low temperature, may be attached. The adapter has a passage (91) designed to enable the introduction of liquid nitrogen from the nitrogen canister (99) into the internal compartment (8). The passage (91) may be an opening, an aperture, or even a tubule, depending on the distance between the adapter (9) and the side of the internal compartment (8), according to the specific implementation of the invention. The user can connect a nitrogen canister (99) to the adapter (9) and execute a rotation or pushing motion, according to the specific implementation of the invention, thus introducing nitrogen from the canister (99), through the adapter (91), into the internal compartment (8). The internal compartment (8) also has a ventilation opening (92) between the inner compartment (8) and the interior of the picnic cooler (1), thus enabling air and nitrogen to flow out of the internal compartment. The internal compartment may, of course, have several ventilation openings (92), which may be located in the sides and/or bottom of the cooler. When the cooler (1) is no longer sufficiently cold, the user may attach another canister of nitrogen (99) to the adapter (9), and introduce liquid nitrogen into the internal compartment (8), and so on and so forth. FIG. 1 presents a cross-section of the picnic cooler (1) with an internal compartment (8), an adaptor (9), a passage (91) and ventilation openings (92).

The second version of the invention, subject of the present patent application, refers to a picnic cooler (100), which is depicted schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3. The cooler (100) is based on an independent and active cooling system. The cooler (100) is equipped with a designated liquid-gas tank compartment (101) in which a liquid-gas tank (102) may be installed, an electric spigot (103), a cooling apparatus (104), a secondary aperture (105) for introducing gas into the cooler, a release aperture (106) for releasing gas from the cooler, an electric power source (107), and a command and control system (108).

The liquid-gas tank compartment (101) can be located within the cooler, as depicted for instance in the drawings attached to the application; alternatively, it may be located or in an external compartment. The compartment (101) is equipped with a liquid-gas tank adapter (1010) to which the opening of the liquid-gas tank (102) is connected, enabling the user to exchange an empty tank with a new one according to need. A tubule, extending from the adapter (1010), introduces gas from the tank (102) into the cooling apparatus (104). The electric spigot (103) is positioned on said tubule or on the adapter itself (1010) and is controlled by the command and control system (108).

The cooling apparatus (104) is made of a metallic material or any other suitable material and can have a variety of shapes. In addition, it can be located anywhere within the picnic cooler. The cooling apparatus (104) can, for instance, consist of a system of very thin twisted piping system (1040) and an upper metallic plate (1041) that may serve also as the inner bottom of the cooler (100), as depicted for instance in the drawings attached to the application. When gas flows from the tank (102) into the cooling apparatus (104) and the twisted piping system (1040), the cooling apparatus (104) becomes cold, due, among other things, to the change in the state of matter of the gas, which in turn causes the interior of the picnic cooler (100) to become colder. It means that the liquid gas flows inside the piping system (1040) when it is in a gaseous state. Nitrogen that is introduced into the cooling apparatus (104) and the piping system (1040) flows into the interior of the cooler through the secondary aperture (105). The term “nitrogen” as used in the present patent application refers both to nitrogen gas as well as any other kind of gas or substance that is used for cooling purposes by changing its state of matter; based on the same principle that the material comes in a liquid state and therefore very cold, releasing droplets from it creates pressure drop due to the transition from liquid to gas and cooling the materials that it comes into contact with, in our case is the piping twisted system (1040). Therefore the term “nitrogen” at the present invention and in the claims should be read as any kind of “liquid gas” that its temperature in liquid state is low, at least bellow the zero Celsius.

The release aperture (106) for releasing nitrogen from cooler enables air and gas to flow out from the interior of the cooler. Said aperture is equipped with a unidirectional valve (1016) that is activated upon reaching a preset pressure, which may be slightly higher than one atmosphere (which is the pressure of the air outside the cooler). The objective is to prevent buildup of internal pressure within the cooler, which may detrimentally affect the cooler, its cover or its contents.

The command and control system (108) includes a controller (1081) and a temperature sensor (1082) that measures the temperature within the picnic cooler. The command and control system (108) may also be equipped with a display panel (1083), which in turn may be equipped with a touchscreen or a series of buttons that are used to operate the system. The command and control system (108) controls the cooling of the cooler (100) by transmitting a command to open the electric spigot (103) for time periods that are determined according to the difference between the actual temperature within the cooler and the desired temperature. The desired temperature may be preset or it may be determined by the user using the command and control system. The controller (1081) activates the electric spigot when the desired temperature is higher than the actual temperature within the cooler. The command and control system (108) can display a variety of data, such as the temperature inside the cooler, the temperature outside the cooler, the desired temperature, the charging status of the batteries (107), the amount of nitrogen remaining in the canister (102), and so on. In addition, the cooler may be equipped with built-in speakers, which may be connected to a Bluetooth and/or USB socket and/or any socket in another structure, and enable the user to play music etc. by means of a smart phone device or any other device with similar abilities.

FIG. 2 presents a schematic cross-section of the picnic cooler (100) with a compartment that contains a gas canister (101), a gas canister (102), an electric spigot (103), a cooling device (104) that includes piping (1040) and an upper plate (1041), an aperture for introducing gas into the cooler (105), an aperture for releasing gas from the cooler (106) and a unidirectional valve (1061), an electric power source (107), and a command and control system (108) that includes a controller (1081), a temperature sensor (1082), and a display and activation panel (1083). FIG. 3 presents a schematic description of the cooling device (104) that includes piping (1040) and an upper plate (1041).

As it is understood from the above explanations and the figures, the picnic cooler (100), includes a food compartment (150), a nitrogen tank compartment (101), a nitrogen tank adapter (1010), an electric spigot (103), a cooling apparatus (104), an electric power source (107), and a command and control system (108).

The nitrogen tank compartment (101) is designed to receive a nitrogen tank (102). The food compartment (150) includes a release aperture (106) with an unidirectional valve (1061) that is designed to release air and gas outside from the interior of the food compartment (150). The cooling apparatus (104) includes a twisting piping system (1040) and an upper metallic plate (1041), wherein said upper metallic plate (1041) serves also as the inner bottom of the food compartment (150). The first end (1040A) of the twisting piping system (1040) is connected to the adapter (1010) and the second end (1040B) of the twisting piping system (1040) includes a secondary aperture (105) that is positioned inside the food compartment (150). The nitrogen tank (102) is designed to be connected to the nitrogen tank adapter (1010), and the electric spigot (103) is designed to open and close the nitrogen tank (102) and to be controlled by the command and control system (108).

The command and control system (108) includes a controller (1081), a temperature sensor (1082) that measures the temperature inside the food compartment (150), and a display panel (1083). The command and control system (108) is designed to control the temperature of the food compartment (150) by transmitting a command to open and close the electric spigot (103) for certain periods of times.

When the nitrogen flows from the nitrogen tank (102) into the piping twisted system (1040) then the piping twisted system (1040) becomes cold due to a pressure drop and cooling the upper metallic plate (1041) that in turns cooling the food compartment (150). The flow of the nitrogen from the piping twisted system (1040) into the interior of the food compartment (150) through the secondary aperture (105) causes additional pressure drop and the nitrogen become colder and assist to cool the interior of the food compartment (150). 

What is claimed is:
 1. A picnic cooler, comprising: a food compartment, a liquid-gas tank compartment, a liquid-gas tank adapter, an electric spigot, a cooling apparatus, an electric power source, and a command and control system; wherein the liquid-gas tank compartment is designed to receive a liquid-gas tank; wherein the food compartment includes a release aperture with an unidirectional valve that is designed to release air and gas outside from the interior of the food compartment; wherein the cooling apparatus includes a twisting piping system and an upper metallic plate; wherein said upper metallic plate serves also as the inner bottom of the food compartment; wherein a first end of the twisting piping system is connected to the liquid-gas tank adapter and a second end of the twisting piping system includes a secondary aperture that is positioned inside the food compartment; wherein the liquid-gas tank is designed to be connected to the liquid-gas tank adapter; wherein the electric spigot is designed to open and close the liquid-gas tank and to be controlled by the command and control system; wherein the command and control system includes a controller, a temperature sensor that measures the temperature inside the food compartment, and a display panel; wherein the command and control system is designed to control the temperature of the food compartment by transmitting a command to open and close the electric spigot for certain periods of times; whereby when the liquid-gas flow from the liquid-gas tank into the piping twisted system the liquid-gas turns to a gaseous state and the piping twisted system becomes cold due to a pressure drop of the liquid-gas whereby cooling the upper metallic plate that in turns cooling the food compartment; whereby the flow of the liquid-gas in the gaseous state from the piping twisted system into the interior of the food compartment through the secondary aperture causes additional pressure drop whereby said liquid-gas in the gaseous state become colder and assist to cool the interior of the food compartment. 